CA1088033A - Method for the supply of contents to a packing material tube - Google Patents

Method for the supply of contents to a packing material tube

Info

Publication number
CA1088033A
CA1088033A CA317,106A CA317106A CA1088033A CA 1088033 A CA1088033 A CA 1088033A CA 317106 A CA317106 A CA 317106A CA 1088033 A CA1088033 A CA 1088033A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
contents
tube
packing
packing material
pressure
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA317,106A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Lars-Erik H. Palm
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Tetra Pak AB
Original Assignee
Tetra Pak International AB
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Tetra Pak International AB filed Critical Tetra Pak International AB
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1088033A publication Critical patent/CA1088033A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65BMACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B9/00Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to form packages
    • B65B9/10Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs
    • B65B9/13Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs the preformed tubular webs being supplied in a flattened state

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Containers And Plastic Fillers For Packaging (AREA)
  • Package Closures (AREA)
  • Packages (AREA)
  • Packging For Living Organisms, Food Or Medicinal Products That Are Sensitive To Environmental Conditiond (AREA)
  • Basic Packing Technique (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Packing containers for liquid are often made from a tube of flexible packing material, which is filled with the liquid and thereafter transversely sealed and cut into separate, completely filled packing containers. This method has however hitherto been impossible to use for production of packages for aerated beverages and the like, as such beverages tend to froth when they are filled into the tube.
According to this invention the abovementioned disadvantage is avoided in that the liquid to be filled is kept under pressure during its transportation to the bottom end of the tube, where a closed and with liquid completely filled space is limited by the tube itself and by an element which supplies the liquid.

Description

lQ88033 The present invention relates to a method for the supply of contents to a packing material tube passing through a packing macHine, which after filling with contents in the course of successive movement downwards through the machine is converted to individual packing containers with the help of sealing jaws which press flat and seal the tube in repeated zones extending transversely across the tube.
The manufacture of packing containers for liquid con-tents, e.g. milk, takes place at present often so, that a web-like packing material is converted in the packing machine to a _ _ _ _ ., , ." , :
~ :: , ~ : : :

: ~ . .: .. : .. , : .

1C~88(~;~3 packing material tube moving vertically downwards through the machine, to which contents are supplied continuously so that its bottom end is filled the whole time with contents to a pre-determined level. Below this level the packing machine is pro-vided with a number of sealing jaws which at equal distances press the material together and seal it so that it is converted to individual, completely filled packing containers, which are separated by sealing zones extending transversely across the tube. Usually the packing containers are then separated from one another by cuts in the sealing zones, and, moreover, a further shaping process or the like is frequently carried out before the packing containers are completely ready.
The method described for the manufacture of packing containers is rapid and hygienic and also presents many other advantages, not least among these that the packing containers are completely filled with contents. This is a great advantage, since it is thereby avoided that the contents are negatively affected by the oxygen present in the atmosphere. A substance particularly sensitive to this is beer, and it has therefore long appeared desirable to pack beer by means of this method.
However, this has not been possible up to now, since even at moderate rates of supply of the beer to the packing material tube a frothing is obtained, which makes the filling of the packing container completely impossible. This problem is increased further when it is realized that a competitive machine for the manufacture of beer packages must have a very high working speed.
It is ~the object of the present invention therefore to provide a method which would make possible the filling of beer and other frothing contents which are awkward to handle on packing machines working according to the aforementioned principle.
This object has been achieved in accordance with the invention in that a method for the supply of contents to a packing material tube passing through a packing machine, which after filling with contents in the course of its successive movement downwards through the machine is converted to individual packing containers with the help of sealing jaws, which press flat - . . - -.: : .. ..
.: :
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,,. : ~ .

10886)33 and seal the tube in repeated zones extending transversely across the tube, is given the characteristic that the contents are passed under pressure to a closed space at the bottom end of the tube, which space is limited on the one hand by the packing material tube clamped together by means of the sealing jaws, on the other hand by means of an element tightly closing against the walls of the tube, as a result of which the space/ during the operation of the packing machine, is maintained completely filled with contents under pressure. In this manner the creation of an air space is prevented which, together with the pressure, effectively prevents froth formation and makes possible very high rates of flow.
A preferred embodiment of the method in accordance with the invention has been given the further characteristic that the contents in the said space are under a pressure of 10-100 kPa, preferably however 20-50 kPa.
A further embodiment of the method in accordance with the invention has been given the further characteristic that the con-tents are supplied axially with the tube and in the direction of movement of the same.
A further embodiment of the method in accordance with the invention has been given the further characteristic that the contents are supplied through the element tightly closing against the walls of the tube.
A further embodiment of the method in accordance with the invention has been given the further characterlstic that the part of the packing material tube situated between the said ele-ment and the sealing jaws rests against external supporting ele-ments.
The invention will be described in more detail in the following with reference to the enclosed schematic drawing which only shows the details of a packing machine which are necessary for the understanding of the method in accordance with the in-vention.
A packing material tube 1 is filled with contents 2 via a filler pipe 3, at the bottom end of which a conical part 4 terminates in a sealing ring 5 of resilient material in con-tact with the inside of the packing material tube. The out-side of the packing material tube 1 is supported with the help of supporting elements 6 and is shaped to filled packing con-tainers 7 with the help of shaping or sealing jaws 8 which on their outer, co-operating ends are provided with heatable bars 9. In addition to the parts shown, the packing machine comp-rises a large number of further elements for driving, guiding and control, supply of fluid and packing material etc. which, however, can all be of a conventional type well-known to those versed in the art, and which therefore do not have to be de-scribed in detail.
During the operation of the machine, packing material is supplied in web-form from a roll, not shown in the drawing.
The packing material is of the laminated type and usually com-prises a carrier layer which is covered on both sides with layers of a thermoplastic material. The web-shaped material web passes substantially vertically downwards through the machine and is folded with the help of forming devices successively to tubular shape, the two longitudinal edges of the material web being placed over one another to form an overlap joint, which is brought about by the fusing together of the thermoplastic layers of the mate-rial so that the liquid-tight packing material tube 1 is produced.
After the completed conversion to tubular shape, the packing material tube 1 reaches the area of the packing machine shown in the figure. The packing material tube passes through the interspace between sealing ring 5, provided on the conical lower part 4 of the filler pipe 3, and the supporting elements 6 arranged outside the same. The sealing ring 5, which is made of flexible material with a low friction coefficient, e.g. tetra-fluorethylene, is provided at the bottom with a lip-shaped part which is in contac~ with the inside of the packing material tube, whilst the outside of the material tube rests against the sup-porting elements 6. When the contents are supplied under pressure, the sealing ring, because of its design, will be pressed with force against the inner surface of the packing material tube, which ensures a satisfactory sealing effect.

::

. ~

1088~33 As the packing material tube 1 continues its movement downwards through the machine, the closed space 11 is kept continuously filled with contents 2 under pressure, which con-tents are supplied from a suitable source with controllable pressure, e.g. a storage tank kept under a certain pressure.
Preferably for beer a pressure of 20-25 kPa is used, but, de-pending on the type of contents, the pressure may vary between approx. 10-100 kPa. To make it possible to resist this pressure, it is essential that the part of the material tube 1, which is filled with contents, should be supported all the time from the outside, and this is done with the help of the supporting elements 6 against which the filled packing material tube 1 rests during the whole of its movement from the lower end of the filler pipe 3 until the shaping device in the form of sealing jaws 8 takes over the supporting function.
The supply of contents under pressure ensures not only that the closed space 11, which is limited on the one hand by the tube pressed flat by means of the sealing jaws, and on the other hand by the tightly closing element, that is to say the conical part of the filler pipe 4 and the seal 5, is kept completely filled with contents and that frothing is prevented, but contri-butes also to keeping the packing material tube 1 on its con-tinued movement downwards through the packing machine in accurate contact with the surfaces of the shaping and sealing jaws 8, so that packing containers of the desired shape and volume are ob-tained.
When the packing material tube 1 is moved further down-wards through the machine, the supporting function of the sup-porting elements 6 is taken over by the co-operating shaping and sealing jaws 8, and more particularly, two portions of the jaws co-operating with one another will, during the movement downwards, as indicated by means of the arrows 10, successively embrace and press together a transverse region of the packing material tube 1, whilst the subsequent space, which determines the shape and volume of the packing container, is successively filled out by the packing material tube under the influence of the contents. During the downwards movement, the shaping and . : ~ ,., - - ,. ::
: ::

1088~)33 sealing jaws come progressively closer together until their co-operation, by means of the parts provided with heatable bars 9, has displaced the contents in a transverse region extending across the packing material tube, wherein the packing material tube is pressed flat, so that the opposite sides of the tube will be in contact with one another. The heatable bars 9 are energized so that the packing material is heated and the thermo-plastic layers situated on the inside of the packing material tube are joined to one another, owing to the simultaneous heat-ing to softening temperature and pressing together with the help of the shaping and sealing jaws 8. Through repeated such `
transverse sealings of the packing material tube packing con-tainers 7 located in between are produced which are completely filled with contents and which have a shape determined by the shaping and sealing jaws. Thereafter the packing containers 7 are separated from one another by means of cuts through the sealed, transverse regions, whereupon the elongated, cushion-shaped packing containers 7 obtained are either finished, or else they can be subjected to a further shaping process, so that e.g. a substantially parallelepipedic shape is obtained.
The design of the supporting elements 6 and the con-nections to the bottom end of the filler pipe as well as to the shaping and sealing jaws may of course be varied depending on the pressure of the contents and the type of laminated mater-ial. Thus, e.g. a thin laminated material, which only comprises layers of resilient plastics, requires a more complete support, so as to prevent the packing material tube from expanding and breaking whilst a stronger packing material, including layers of e.g. paper and aluminium foil, may run freely over short stretches without suffering any damage.
As mentioned previously, the pressure in the contents may be varied as a function of the type of contents, and although ~Q~8033 20-50 kPa has been specifled as appropriate for e.g. beer or aerated beverages, it may be suitable for contents which particu-larly tend to froth, to increase this pressure further up to approx. 100 kPa. The temperature of the contents also affects the tendency towards frothing in such a way that the frothing tendency diminishes with reduced temperature, which means that contents with a special tendency towards frothing are handled more easily if they are cooled down to a lower temperature.
This behaviour, however, is well known to those versed in the art in the brewery industry and does not require to be further described here. Finally, the pressure may have to be varied depending on the rate of filling, and the exact pressure most suitable for each case is therefore appropriately established by experiment in each individual case.
When contents are stored in storage tanks it may be necessary, with certain contents with a high content of carbon dioxide, to maintain a pressure of 150-250 kPa, so as to prevent the carbon dioxide from changing into gaseous form. ~hen filling from tanks under such a pressure, a reduction of the pressure must take place before the contents are supplied to the packing tube, since otherwise there is a very great risk of the same being damaged. To prevent any unnecessary discharge of carbon dioxide, the reduction should take place as late as possible during the filling, and it has been found to be particularly suitable to carry out the reduction at the same time as the contents leave the filler pipe 3 and flow into the closed space 11. The reduction is carried out suitably by means of a pressure-reducing valve controllable from the outside situated in the bottom end of the filler pipe 3, with the help of which the pressure ofthe contents is reduced to the desired value of pre-ferably 20-50 kPa. By putting the point ofpressure reduction at a late stage seen in the direction of flow, the advantage is obtained that the contents have a high pressure during the abso-lute main part of the operation, whilst the contents are enclosed in the individual packing containers practically immediately after the pressure reduction, more particularly within 0.2-1.0 seconds, so that carbon dioxide in practice will not have time to be discharged in any significant amount.
Beside the supply under pressure and the fact that the , closed space 11 is maintained completely full during the whole course of the process, the frothing effect is also countered by the fact that the contents are supplied at a uniform.

- 7a -10~8V33 s~eed axially with the tube and in the direction of movement of the same, which measures jointly contribute to a smoother flow without unnecessary turbulence.

Claims (4)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A method for the supply of contents to a packing material tube passing through a packaging machine which after filling with the contents during the course of successive movement downwards through the machine is converted to individual packing containers by sealing jaws, which press flat and seal the tube in repeated zones extending transversely across the tube, the contents being passed under a pressure of 10 to 100 KPA to a completely closed space at the bottom end of the tube, which space is limited on the one hand by the packing material tube clamped together by means of the sealing jaws and, on the other hand by means of an element tightly closing against the walls of the tube, as a result of which the space during the operation of the packing machine is maintained completely filled with contents under pressure at least that part of the packing material tube situated between said element and the sealing jaws resting against external supporting elements.
2. A method in accordance with claim 1 in which the contents in the said space are under a pressure of 20 - 50 KPA.
3. A method in accordance with claim 1 in which the contents are supplied axially of the tube and in the direction of movement of the same.
4. A method in accordance with claim 1, 2 or 3 in which the contents are supplied through the element, tightly closing against the walls of the tube.
CA317,106A 1977-11-29 1978-11-29 Method for the supply of contents to a packing material tube Expired CA1088033A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SE7713492A SE409835B (en) 1977-11-29 1977-11-29 WAY TO ADD THE FOAM-BENEFITED, LIGHTLY LIQUID FILLER TO A PACKING MATERIAL TUBE
SE7713492-2 1977-11-29

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1088033A true CA1088033A (en) 1980-10-21

Family

ID=20333036

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA317,106A Expired CA1088033A (en) 1977-11-29 1978-11-29 Method for the supply of contents to a packing material tube

Country Status (12)

Country Link
JP (1) JPS54115996A (en)
AU (1) AU535459B2 (en)
BE (1) BE872376A (en)
CA (1) CA1088033A (en)
CH (1) CH633755A5 (en)
DE (1) DE2851484A1 (en)
DK (1) DK148505C (en)
FR (1) FR2409913B1 (en)
GB (1) GB2009699B (en)
IT (1) IT1100753B (en)
NL (1) NL7811573A (en)
SE (1) SE409835B (en)

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1094562B (en) * 1956-12-01 1960-12-08 Allgaeuer Alpenmilch Method and device for the production of sterile packages by continuously filling plastic tubes with aseptic milk and similar liquid sterile filling goods
US3681892A (en) * 1970-08-26 1972-08-08 Hayssen Mfg Co Packaging machine
HU164245B (en) * 1971-08-03 1974-01-28
US4007576A (en) * 1975-06-19 1977-02-15 Hercules Incorporated Method and apparatus for controlling static charges

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
BE872376A (en) 1979-03-16
DK148505B (en) 1985-07-22
NL7811573A (en) 1979-05-31
FR2409913A1 (en) 1979-06-22
CH633755A5 (en) 1982-12-31
JPS54115996A (en) 1979-09-08
FR2409913B1 (en) 1985-06-21
SE409835B (en) 1979-09-10
GB2009699B (en) 1982-04-07
DK148505C (en) 1985-12-23
IT1100753B (en) 1985-09-28
DE2851484A1 (en) 1979-05-31
GB2009699A (en) 1979-06-20
SE7713492L (en) 1979-05-30
IT7830230A0 (en) 1978-11-27
AU535459B2 (en) 1984-03-22
DK528578A (en) 1979-05-30
AU4197878A (en) 1982-07-15

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